Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Consultations for the proposed Road Accident Fund Bill, which is a step towards establishing a system to provide crucial support for victims of road traffic accidents are currently underway in Harare.
The bill is designed to offer timely medical aid, cover funeral expenses and provide compensation to those injured and the families of those killed in road accidents.
To date, the draft bill is in place and consultations have been conducted in nine other provinces.
Officials from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development being led by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Cde Felix Mhona, Permanent Secretary Engineer Joy Makumbe, are holding the consultations this Friday.
The event is also being attended by Harare Mayor Clr Jacob Mafume, legislators, senior government officials, Transport operators and various stakeholders.
The RAF Bill aims to fundamentally overhaul the country’s post-crash response and strengthen the social protection system for victims of road traffic accidents.
Officials frame it as a critical pillar for achieving Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, by creating safer transport systems and a more robust social safety net.
From earlier consultations, a strong public consensus is forming. Citizens and traditional leaders have turned out in large numbers, advocating not just for better victim support, but for a fundamental shift in strategy.
Key demands so far include: a Proactive, Preventive Approach: Many stakeholders are urging greater investment in accident prevention, through better road engineering, signage, and safety campaigns rather than focusing primarily on post-crash compensation; Capacitating Medical Facilities by ensuring clinics and hospitals are adequately equipped to handle trauma cases effectively. Ring-fencing the fund by dedicating a portion of the fund’s resources specifically for road rehabilitation to address accident-prone infrastructure.
In an interview recently, Minister Felix Mhona said: “Government is not aloof to calamities caused by road traffic accidents. We treat road safety management seriously.
“Therefore, high on our programming agenda, we continue to formulate sound policies, robust legislative frameworks and administrative modalities to mitigate effects of fatalities on the roads.
“On the policy front, the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, ably led by His Excellency, the President, Cde, Dr ED Mnangagwa, has developed a national blue print, the National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 (2021-2025), which is transitioning to NDS 2 (2026–2030).
“In the NDS, Government has come up with targets towards the safety of roads and has acknowledged that while there may be other reasons, speeding and human error have been major contributors of road accidents. By 2030, we should achieve high quality and efficient public transport services, covering both the rural and urban areas with the view to reduce road accidents and fatalities by half.”
